The Ong Sam Leong Story - A Triple Perspective

Free and open to all. Places are limited to 45 so please register early.

The Ong Sam Leong family cluster is the “jewel in the crown” at Bukit Brown Cemetery, the largest in Singapore spanning 600 sq meters and located on the highest point in the cemetery. Find out more about how the Ong Family fortunes was built, the heady days of one of Singapore's first entertainment center catering to the rich and the common people, and a rare intimate glimpse of the family life of the Ongs.

I Coolies of Christmas Island by John Hunt.

John is the Australian author of Suffering through Strength, a history of Christmas Island where Ong Sam Leong built his fortunes on the coolie concession he was given to mine phosphate. John, served as Special Magistrate and Resettlement Officer on the island and in the Australian Public Service for several years before retirement when he completed his book in 2013.

II The New World by Genine Loo

Genine co- curated an exhibition on “The New World” as part of the Singapore Heritage Festival 2015. She expanded her research and wrote a chapter called "A Portrait of the New World" on its history with a focus on the war years in the book WW II@ Bukit Brown, co-published by the Singapore Heritage Society and Ethos in May this year.

III In Conversation with Sharon Ong

Sharon is the great granddaughter of Ong Boon Tat, who together with his brother Peng Hock started The New World from the fortunes of their father Ong Sam Leong. In this first public sharing of family photos, Sharon will share her memories and stories told to her by her grandma. Sharon will be donating some 4000 family photos to the National Archives of Singapore.

Each session will be followed by a Q&A

Signed copies of Suffering Through Strength will be on sale at $30 and WWII @ Bukit Brown at $25. Last orders for F & B : 5.15pm at the Chong Wen Ge cafe.